Speaker: Michael Merry, Professor of Philosphy, Department of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam
Discussant: Krista Goldstine-Cole, Doctoral Candidate, Harvard Graduate School of Education
October 29, 2018
Michael Merry's lecture asked what educational justice might require for children with autism in schools where inclusion is normative. Merry argues that inclusion must do more than provide physical access; it must offer value to the person in question, facilitate a sense of belonging, and be conducive to a child's overall well-being. Further, whatever the specifics of individual cases, a normative theory of inclusion must permit pragmatic alternatives, i.e., different learning environments, if educational justice is to remain the overriding goal.